Rotary engine



Aug. 18, 1931. AC; MCQUOWN l 1,819,718

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug; 18, 1931.

c. MCQUowN ROTARY ENGINE Filed Feb. 27. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. l18, 1931.

C. MCQUOWN ROTARY ENGINE Filed Feb. 27. 1928 '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 atroz/uuid Patented Aug. 18, 1931 CHARLES MCQUGVJN, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN ROTARY ENGINE Application filed February 27, 1928. SerialNo. 257,150.

The present invention pertains to a novel rotary engine designed particularly for steam operation.

It is Well known in the art of steam engines that the eihciency is materially reduced by initial condensation occurring as soon as steam is admitted. Such initial condensation results from the fact that the cylinder walls iirst engaged by the entering steam are l cooled by being exposed to exhausting gas.

The principal object ofthe present invention is to overcome this initial condensation and thereby increase the ethciency of the engine. This object is accomplished by preventing exposure to exhausting steam of the walls initially engaged by entering steam. A novel piston and partition arrangement, dividing the cylinder into two parts in conjunction witl'i characteristic lvalve mechanism, permits the exhaust 1.o occur through a period less than 36()o of piston rotation and maintains the exhausting steam out of contact with the parts which are initially engaged by the entering steam.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a transverse section of a two- :a unit device, showing one of the units thereof; V Fig. 2 is a parallel section showing the other unit;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing bothunits; A

Fig. 4 is a section onV the line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Fig. 6 is an end view; and

Figs. 7 and 3 are diagrammatic cross sections showing di'erent positions of the piston or rotor.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout. l There is provided a casing having a substantially cylindrical portion 1, an interme- 59 ldiate section 2 for accommodating a hub member presently to be described, and a clearance chamber 3 for accommodating the movement of certain of the operative parts. The length of the casing is sufficient to accommodate two units, as will presently appear, and the ends' of the casing are closed by end plates 4 and 5 as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

ln the walls 4 and 5 are journalled a shaft 6 and a stub shaft 7 respectively lying in the axis of the cylindrical portion 1. The shafts carry cranks 8 and 9 connected to rotors or pistons 10 and 11 disposed side. by side in the cylindrical portion 1 of the casing. Each such rotor or piston has an integral pair of circular end plates 12 which turn concentrically in the cylindrical portion 1 and are sealed against the same by packing ringsv 13. The piston proper has an arm 14 attached to the adjacentcrank 8v or 9 by a pin 15. The intermediate portion 2 has a plurality of inwardly extending abutments 16 disposed on the circumference'of a circle as illustrated more clearly in Figures 1 and 2. These abutments serve as bearings for a pair of rotary hubmembers 17 arranged end to end as shown in Figure 3. Ait the top and bottom of theV intermediate portions 2 are cavities 18 and 19 respectively containing angulary guide members 20. and 21'in which are received slides or shutters 22 and 23 respectively. ASlots 24 are formed in the backs of the guide members for receiving gear teeth 25 extending 'fromthe shutters 22 and 23 at the top and bottom of each hub member. Thereis only one set of gear teeth at each side of the hub, serving both units but in otherV respects the units are alike, and the description of only one of them'in detail will suiiice. It may however be noted that the rotors in the units are spaced 180o apart as shown in Figure A3.

Adj acent the upper cavity 18, at the center thereof, is formed a chamber 26 common to both units, as shown in Figure 5, and a similar chamber27 is formed adjacent the lower depression 19. These chambers receive pipes 28 and 29 whichmay be assumed to be for exhaust and intake respectively.

A Vsliding partition 30 extends diametrically through each hub 17 and has its rear end disposed in a slideway 31 extending from .the hub portion into the clearance chamber 3.

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The slide has a pair of longitudinal passages 32 and 33 on its faces adapted for communication with radial ports 34 and 35 in the hub portion. The slide engages the eccentric piston member of the corresponding unit and is held in constant engagement therewith by means of an arm 36 journalled on the pin 15, passing slidably through an end of the `hub portion and fixed to a bar 37 secured to the rear end of the slide as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Packing strips 38 are inserted in the end of the slide engaging the piston member and are backed by springs 39.

The face 40 of the piston member engaging the surface of the cylinder portion 1 has an insert 41 carrying packing rings 42 engaging said surface. Shims 43 are mounted on the ends 44 of the insert for a purpose which will presently appear. A bolt 45 is mounted in the piston member and has a head 46 seated in the wall of said member. On the threaded end of the bolt is a nut 47 which may be screwed up against the insert 41 for tightening the packing against the cylindrical surface as the packing wears. After considerable wear of the insert and packing strips, the shims 43 may be removed one at a time in order that the insert and strips carried thereby may be properly tightened against the cylinder Wall. The hub member also carries packing strips 48 lying across the slide 30 at both faces thereof and backed by springs 49.

A bearing member 50 is formed on the end plate 4 for receiving the shaft 6 as shown in Figure 3. This shaft may constitute the main shaft of the machine and is equipped with a flywheel 51 and bevel gear 52. Cylindrical openings 53 are formed radially in the bearing member 50 and cont-ain slidable piston members 54. The outer ends of the open'- ings are closed by'plugs 55. Channels 56 extend inwardly from the openings 53 and curve until coming into alignment with the shaft 6 where they are filled with packing material 57 engaging the shaft. The remainder of the passages is filled with balls 58 extending from the packing material to the pistons. Duets 59 lead from the interior of the stator to the outer ends of the openings 3. In the event that steam escapes beyond the lateral walls 12 of the rotors, it will pass through the ducts 59 and act on the pistons 54. Inward movement of the pistons presses the balls 58 against the packing material 57 which in turn is tightened against the shaft so that there will be no leakage around the shaft.

ln explaining the operation of the device as thus far described, let it be assumed that the intake is through the pipe 29 and the exhaust through the pipe 28 and that the piston turns in clockwise direction. Vith reference to Figure 7 it will be seen that the passages 32 and 33 may close against the hub portion 17 and thus prevent intake or exhaust of steam into the cylindrical chambers at certain intervals. In Figure 7 the passages are thus obstructed and about to open; and inasmuch as the apparatus is symmetrical on the line of centers of the cylinder and hub, the passages will close when the piston has travelled through an arc of 180o on the cylinder wall, commencing with the position shown in Figure 7 When the piston has arrived to the position shown in Figure 8, the passages 33 and 34 have already been closed for some time, and both intake and exhaust have been cut off.

The slide member 30 is also a partition as already pointed out, and in abutting the pist-on member at all times, forms a permanent and movable partition across the cylindrical chamber, separating the exhaust side from the intake side. Due to the fact that the exhaust ceases at 180 after the position shown in Figure 7, the port-ion of the cylinder wall nearest to the intake passage 34 is never exposed to exhausting steam. Cooling of this portion of the wall is thus avoided, with the important result that the initial condensation of entering steam is considerably reduced and the efficiency of the engine correspondingly increased.

The cavities 18 and 19 are enlarged as at 18 and 19 at the central parts thereof for accommodating shafts 6() and 61 having squared ends 62 and 63 carrying segmental gears 64 and 65 meshing respectively with the teeth 25 on the upper and lower shutters 22 and 23. To theend plate 4 is secured a pair of bearings 66 supporting a vertical governor shaft 67 which carries a slidable upper collar 68 and a slidable lower collar 69.

Articulated links 70 connect the collars and carry governor' balls 71. The lower' bearing 66 has an angular bracket 72 in which is formed a horizontal bearing 73 supporting one end of a horizontal shaft 74, the other end of the shaft rests in :mother bearing 75 supported at another point of the plate 4. This shaftcarries bevel pinions 76 and 77, the. former meshing` with a bevel pinion 78 at the lower end of the governor shaft 67. A pair of bearings 79 and 86 are fixed to the plate 4 in vertical alignment with the center of the shaft 6 and support a vertical shaft 81. The upper end of this shaft carries a bevel pinion 82 meshing with the bevel gear 52 and the lower end carries a bevel pinion 83 meshing with the member 77.

An intake pipe 84 extends parallel to the pipes 28 and 29 and has branches 85 and 86 extending over the ends of the same. These branches lead into another pipe 87 which for the present will be termed an exhaust pipe. At the intersections of the pipes 28 and 29 with the branches 85 and 86 are inserted rotary valves 88 and 89 respectively adapted to place the pipes 28 and 29 into communication with one side of the branch connected. thereto and obstruct communication with other side of said branch. These valves carry short operating levers 90 and 91.

To one end of the plate 4 is secured a bracket 92 carrying a slotted segment 93. A lever 94 has an intermediate point 95 pivotally attached to the bracket 92 and carries a clamp 96 for locking` inthe slotted member. Fingers 97 and 98 extend from the pivot 95 to form a bell crank lever and are joined by links 99 and 100 to the levers 90 and 91 respectively. Vith the lever 94 locked in its lowest posit-ion as illust-rated, steam flows from the branch 86 into the admission pipe 29 and out of the exhaust pipe 28 to provide the operation which has been described, and proceeds through the valve 88 into the exhaust line 87. in this adjustment the valve 88 is cle-sed to the upper end of the pipe 84 and to the lower end of the pipe 86. lt the lever 94 is locked in the other end of the slot, the valves 88 and 89 will be reversed, whereupon the direction of the flow of steam and the direction of rotation of the pistons will also be reversed. 1

A bracket 101 extends from the upper bearing 66, and to this bearing is pivoted an arm 102. rl`he shafts 60 and 61 carry operating arms 108 and 104 respectively, and one end of the arm 102 is slotted as at 105 to receive a pin 106 projecting from the arm 103.

To the inner end oi' the reversing lever 94 are pivoted slotted links 107 and 108, the former receive a pin 109 extending from the remaining end of the arm 102. rlhis arm also pivoted to the upper slidable collar ln like manner, an arm 110 is pivoted to lower bracket 72 and to the lower slidable collar 69. One end of this arm is slotted at 111 tor receiving a pin 112 projecting` from the arm 104, and the remaining end ot the member 110 has a pin 112 extending into the slotted member 108.

In the adjustment shown in Figure 6, increased speed of the governor will not raise the collar 68 because it is in engagement with the bearing 66. Neither can the collar drop because the arm 102 connected thereto has a two-point support in the bracket 101 and in the bottom of the slotted member 107. rl`he lower collar 69 therefore moves as the speed varies, such movement being permitted by reason of the fact that the pin 113 of the arm 110 is free. to rise in the slotted member 108. Movement of the arm 110 in response'to speed changes will turn the shaft 61 and consequently adjust the lower shutter 2? over the'admission port 35 to cnt down the admission as the speed increases.

After the lever 94 is reversed in order to reverse the engine as already described, the pin 112 of the arm 110 will occupy the upper end of the slotted member 108, and the arm will thus have a two-point support preventing the lower collar 69 from moving upwardly as the speed of the governor increases.

The pin 109 will be in the upper-end of thel slotted memb-er 107 and will be permitted to drop when the outward movement of the balls 71 tend to bring the collars 68 and 69 together.` Such movement of the arm 102 controls the shaft 60 and slide 24 connected therewith; and inasmuch as this slidejis now in the admission line, the intake is controlled in the same manner as before reversal.

Screws 114 are threaded through the upper and lower walls or" the cavities 18 and 19 into engagement with the guide members 20 and 21 for tightening the shutters 22 and 23 against the hub members 17 in compensation for wear at these parts. j

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston, a partition extending from said piston and cooperating therewith to divide the cylinder', intake means at one side of said partition and exhaust means at the other' side, said piston being adapted to cover a substantial area oi' said cylinder wall directly, and means for closing said exhaust means while said piston engages said cylinder wall adjacent said intake and exhaust means in approaching said exhaust means.

2. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston, an oscillatory hub adjacent said cylinder adapted to rock on an axis substantially parallel to that of said cylinder, a partition ex tending from said piston and slidable in said hub, said partition cooperating with the piston in dividing the cylinder, inlet and ex haust means at opposite sides of said partition and controlled by the position of said partition in the hub, and an operating rod connecting said piston to said partition for oscillating the latter, said rod passing through said hub whereby to rock the same.

8. ln a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston,

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an oscillatory hub adjacent said cylinder and having inlet and exhaust ports, said hub being adapted to rock an an axis substantially i parallel to that of said cylinder, a partition extending from said piston and slidably mounted in said hub, said partition cooperating said piston to divide said cylinder, inlet and exhaust passages at opposite sides of said partition and adapted to register with said inlet and exhausty ports respectively, and an operating rod connecting said piston to said partition for oscillating the latter, said rod being disposed entirely outside of said cylinder and passing through said hub whereby to rock the same.

4. In a rotary engine, a cyliner, a piston, an oscillatory hub adjacent said cylinder and having inlet andv exhaust ports, said hub being adapted to rock on an axis substantially parallel to that of said cylinder, a partition extending' from said piston and slidably mounted in said hub, said partition cooperating with said piston to divide said cylinder7 inlet and exhaust passages at Opposite sides of said partition and adapted to register With said inlet and exhaust ports respectively, a crank extending outwardly from said piston, and an operating rod oonneeting said crank to said partition exteriorly of said cylinder for oscillating said partition and passing through said hub whereby to rook the same.

In testimony Whereoic I affix my signature.

CHARLES MCQUOVN. 

